


Who Said Delinquency Is A Bad Thing?

by demonicweirdo



Series: Keep You Like An Oath [1]
Category: Teen Wolf (TV)
Genre: Alternate Universe - High School, First Kiss, Fluff and Angst, Friends to Lovers, Jealousy, M/M, Mutual Pining, One-Sided Danny Mahealani/Stiles Stilinski, Recreational Drug Use
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2015-03-15
Updated: 2015-03-15
Packaged: 2018-03-17 08:59:40
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 7,204
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/3523340
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/demonicweirdo/pseuds/demonicweirdo
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Erica held up a finger. “You see, Derek Hale is a hot mess, and when he gets into one his moods, the only person that he can tolerate is you. Unless,” she sang with a grin, “the mood is about you.”<br/>Stiles gaped, offended. “What did I do?”<br/>Erica sighed and rolled her eyes. “You kissed Danny!”</p>
            </blockquote>





	Who Said Delinquency Is A Bad Thing?

**Author's Note:**

> I should be doing homework. But here is the fruit of my procrastination.  
> So I thought I would warn you that almost everyone here gets stoned on the daily. Also that it's lightly inspired by That 70's Show, with the weed and the basement and shit. Because I've been binge-watching it.

“What does an epiglottis do?” Stiles craned his head to peer over Derek's shoulder at his homework, but Derek shoved him back.

“I'm not letting you cheat, Stiles. That would make me a bad friend.”

Stiles raised an eyebrow at him. “A bad friend?” he echoed. “A bad friend is a friend who lets his best friend fail biology, high school, and life. This is why Scott is my best friend.”

Scott patted Stiles' knee from his other side. “Thanks, buddy.” He resumed texting Allison, and Stiles did _not_ want to look over his shoulder, because Scott had a dirty, dirty mind and Stiles had had the misfortune of reading Scott's texts to Allison once. He couldn't look Scott in the eye for a week.

“It's a flap of cartilage that covers the windpipe while swallowing so your food doesn't go to your lungs,” Lydia answered in a bored voice, flipping another page of her astro-physics book with a perfectly-manicured fingernail.

Stiles scribbled that in the answers sheet and then glanced at Derek, biting his lip. Derek had his head down, the end of his pencil hanging loosely between his lips and his eyebrows smooth because Derek Hale only relaxes when he's studying. Such a nerd.

Stiles took another moment to stare at Derek, because the guy was beautiful and definitely easy on the eyes, before snatching his homework and pushing Scott in front of him when Derek reflexively reached for it back.

Scott shot Stiles a dirty look and stood up from the couch, checking his watch. “Isaac should be here by now.”

Lydia groaned. “Yes, _please_ , I need to get high, I've been stressed out all week.”

Derek reached for his homework and Stiles held it away, above his head, with a smirk. Derek raised his eyebrows and pounced on Stiles, grabbing at the paper and trying to push Stiles' face into the pillow.

Stiles shoved his face away and failed to hold in his laughter. “Ok, no, I yield, I yield!” he gasped out, shoving Derek away with a huff. Derek grinned smugly. “I'm still copying your homework,” Stiles said.

Derek narrowed his eyes and opened his mouth to reply when Isaac stumbled downstairs, his hair wild and his eyes wide.

“ _Alpha Pack_ are coming to Sacramento!” he blurted, flopping onto the couch between Stiles and Derek.

Lydia sighed. “Did you get the weed?”

Isaac nodded and held up the bag. “But, _Alpha Pack_...?”

Stiles grinned and clapped him on the shoulder. “That sounds great, Isaac, and for you rich people I'm sure it'll be amazing to travel up there and rent a hotel room and travel back in Derek's fancy Camaro.” His smile dropped. “Shut up.”

Isaac smiled his wide, angelic smile. “No, dude, I have a plan,” he announced proudly.

Stiles exchanged a look with Scott. “A plan,” he repeated flatly. “Oh dear lord save us.”

Isaac shoved at his shoulder. “Shut up, it's a good one. We just save about a hundred each for the hotel, and some money for petrol, and I can get the concert tickets for free.”

“Legally for free?” Scott asked sternly.

Isaac shrugged. “Does it matter?”

Scott opened his mouth but Stiles cut in with, “Nope, it doesn't. Definitely doesn't.” He looked at Lydia. “You going to come?”

Lydia frowned at her book. “When?”

Isaac took out a folded brochure from his pocket. “Uh, in two weeks.”

Lydia tossed her hair and shrugged. “Sure. Only because I'm bored. Now can we _please_ get high?”

Isaac raised an eyebrow. “Bad day?”

Lydia rolled her eyes. “You have _no idea_. Being me isn't easy, you know.”

Stiles squeaked when a hand shot out to snatch Derek's homework from him, and then leaned over to give Derek his best puppy-dog eyes.

Derek shook his head. “Stop it. It's not working.”

Stiles scoffed. “Like you can deny me anything, Hale.”

“Oh Jesus,” Isaac muttered under his breath, looking supremely uncomfortable.

Stiles gave up and peered at his homework, cursing the day he decided that biology was a good idea. He wasn't amazing at it, and Derek had just given him that _look_ that had weakened him from the moment he used it on Stiles so Stiles would give him his only lollipop. Derek Hale, evil and manipulative since eight years of age. He was a bad influence on Stiles, and now here Stiles was, his brain struggling to focus on the questions that _made no sense_ , because Derek didn't want to be alone in biology.

Stiles huffed and shoved his folder off his knees, but Derek reached across Isaac and caught it before it hit the ground. “If you want help, just ask,” he said, giving Stiles that little, perfect, shy smile of his.

“You know what? Screw you, Hale. This is all your fault. I'm going to get high, and I'm going to fail biology, and I'm going to not ever care.” He smirked and took the joint that Isaac offered him, raising his eyebrows teasingly.

Derek sighed and snatched the next one Isaac rolled. “What about Erica, Boyd, and Jackson?”

“And Allison,” Scott reminded them all with a frown, like he couldn't believe anyone would ever forget about the love of his life.

“Do we really want Jacky to come? I mean, last time we went somewhere with him, he didn't talk to anyone the whole time, he just sulked,” Stiles muttered around the smoke, standing up to check his pockets for a lighter.

Lydia glared at him. “That's because you died his hair blue.”

Stiles grinned. “Oh yeah, that was fun.” He found his lighter and let the flame dance on the end of the joint.

“They can come, too.”

Scott shot Isaac a suspicious look. “Isaac, that's nine tickets. How do you get this shit?”

Stiles shrugged. “As long as he gets it, I'm not fussed on the details.”

Derek leaned forward on the couch. “If you're selling your body-”

“No! Jeez, Derek, do I look like a whore?” Everyone in the room gave Isaac a judgemental once-over, and he reddened. “Don't answer that.”

Stiles threw an arm around his shoulder and took a long drag of his joint. “Don't worry, buddy. You wear too many scarves, most people want their hookers to have the least amount of clothes possible.”

“You'd know about hookers, huh?” Derek teased.

Stiles raised his eyebrows and looked around the room in mock-surprise. “I thought you all knew about my secret life. School boy by day, _school boy_ by night,” he drawled, waggling his eyebrows and trying for the wrong end of seductive.

Isaac just shook his head, Scott looked faintly amused, and Derek was staring down at his homework, his ears tinged pink. Stiles frowned, resolving to talk to his dad about getting air conditioning in their basement, since Derek always flushed easily. When he wasn't high.

“So,” Scott started, blowing out a puff of smoke while Isaac continued to roll joints for the future, “I guess we're all going to a concert.”

Lydia scrunched her nose up. “No bonding. This a concert, not some road trip where we discover ourselves and learn to love each other.”

Stiles widened his eyes, feeling the effects of the weed, blurring his mind in a comfortable kind of way. “Our love has been a lie?” he gasped. “What do we tell the children?”

* * *

**-Two days later**

“Stiles, you got an B.”

Stiles waved the paper in Scott's face while they sat at the bleachers, watching the freshman try out for lacrosse this year. Scott and Stiles had decided to focus more on their studying, but, looking down at the test, Stiles wasn't satisfied by the results of those extra hours spent _away_ from fun.

“I wanted an A, I specifically prayed to the god of intelligence and wit to give me an A. I sacrificed that goat for nothing.”

Scott frowned. “Stiles, is this about that stupid bet with Derek? Do I need to remind you that it was two years ago?”

Stiles sighed. “Dude, I have to win.”

“I can't believe you're still holding onto that-”

“-he's _not_ getting my jeep for a week-”

“-when I thought you had gotten over it ages ago.”

The competition was who could get the most A's. It was made when Stiles was drunk but Derek held him to it because he's a sadistic loser.

“Look, who cares if you lose to Derek? He's academically second only to Lydia, and he studies like he has no life.”

“He doesn't have one,” Stiles replied cheerfully. “It's just us, his sisters, and the pursuit of knowledge.”

“Are you talking about Derek?” a girl's voice said in his ear. Stiles jumped and cursed when he saw Cora standing there, a scowl on her face. It wasn't just a normal Hale scowl, it was directed at Stiles specifically.

“Hey, Cora,” Scott greeted.

Cora glared at them both. “I heard you're going to see _Alpha Pack_ without me,” she growled.

Stiles brushed a hand through his hair. He had grown it out over the summer and it was taking a while to get used to, the length and the amount of care it demanded. “You don't even like _Alpha Pack_.”

Cora sat down next to him. “Are you kidding? The twins are, like, uber-hot.”

“Yeah,” Stiles agreed. “They are.” He snapped out of the memories of that dream he had that one time of the twins and narrowed his eyes at the youngest Hale. “But you don't like their music. And you're too young.”

Cora threw her hands up in exasperation. “I'm a _year_ younger than you, don't be such a snob!”

Stiles shrugged. “Look, I'd be fine with you coming, but I'm afraid I'd be out-voted.”

Cora scoffed. “All of your friends love me.”

“They love Derek more, and I doubt he'd want his little sister to go to a concert. With _boys_. And _drugs_.”

Cora rolled her eyes. “You're all losers. I'll just get Laura to take me.”

Stiles nodded. “Yep, you do that, but if I have to deal with a scowly-and-growly Derek the whole time, I demand payment in the form of ritual sacrifice.”

“Please,” she scoffed, standing up and brushing off her jeans, “Like you wouldn't jump at the chance to cheer him up and make him happy.”

Stiles made an affronted kind of noise at that, and Scott gave him an innocent look. “It's true, you were always bringing him out of those moods after Kate.”

Kate was a mystery. Stiles had no doubt that she was a raging bitch, but he had never gotten all the details of her and Derek's break-up, not that he had forced the issue. One minute, they were in an unhealthy, unbalanced relationship that Stiles had expressed his dislike for, the next she was threatening to burn his house down and he was locked in his room while his parents got a restraining order. The best Stiles could gather was that Derek had broken up with her and she didn't take it very well, though he suspected it was more than that.

For a month afterwards, Derek spent his life in his room, and at first he wouldn't even let Stiles in, but when he did, he was different. More... aware of everything, more on edge around him.

“God, I hate her,” Cora muttered. She strode off without a goodbye, which must've been a Hale trait. The only polite Hale Stiles had ever met had to be Talia, though Peter _was_ polite. In a creepy way.

Scott nudged Stiles with his shoulder. “Dude, he's staring at you again.”

“Who?” Stiles asked, confused by the _again_ , because he's never had anyone stare at him.

“Danny,” Scott whispered. Stiles whipped his head around so fast he got whiplash, and a few seats below them to the right, Danny looked like a deer caught in the headlights, before smiling hesitantly and waving, his cheeks red.

Stiles waved back politely, before turning back to Scott. “Do I have something in my hair?” he asked, scowling and tugging at the tufts.

Scott snickered and looked away. “No, you look fine.”

“Then why was-”

“ _Because_ you look fine, Stiles.”

Stiles stared at Scott with his mouth open and his eyes wide. He glanced back at Danny, who was bent over a book or some homework or something. “No way Danny thinks I'm fine.”

Scott shrugged. “Which one of us has the romantic experience, Stiles? He's interested.”

Stiles whacked him lightly on the arm. “I've had romantic experiences!” he exclaimed.

Stiles raised an eyebrow. “You've had _sexual_ experiences, Stiles, that doesn't count. Those aren't _come hither_ eyes you're getting, they're _I want to hold your hand_ eyes.”

Stiles scoffed. “I think the over-exposure to Allison is clouding your judgement. Danny Mahealani is way out of my league.”

“Fine. Don't come crying to me next time you have a crisis of low self-esteem.”

“Fine.”

“Great.”

“Good.”

They sat in silence for a while longer, wincing every time a freshman took a ball to the gut (which was often).

“Wow,” Stiles said, breaking the silence. “They're losers.”

Scott shook his head. “Pathetic. Jackson is going to be so pissed.”

Stiles groaned. “I don't want to have to deal with a raging dickhead all the time. You wanna go to Chipotle's after school?”

Scott stood up and shouldered his bag, giving Stiles an apologetic look. “Sorry, man, I have to drop Allison off home, we're going to study.”

Stiles followed him, stumbling over his bag before picking it up. “Scotty, why don't you just say you're going to have sex? We all know that you seem to get dumber every time you “study”. That's because your brain goes to your dick.”

Scott glared at him. “We don't have sex _all_ the time, Stiles, jeez. You're such a whore.”

Stiles grinned and adjusted the straps on his bag. “Damn right I am. Anyway, I have to go see a certain Vernon Boyd about a certain favour involving candy bars. I'll see you later.”

Stiles spun off in the direction of the cafeteria, but, just before he opened the door, there was a hand at his arm, spinning him around.

Stiles only flailed slightly, but he calmed down when he saw Danny standing there. He glanced behind him, through the glass doors of the cafeteria, and he thought he spotted Boyd and Derek briefly before he turned back to Danny.

Who was giving him one of his cheerful smiles. “I heard you and Scott aren't on the team this year,” he said.

Stiles bounced on the balls of his feet and shrugged. “Yeah, got to focus on what's important,” he replied conversationally. He waited a moment before adding, “Not that I don't enjoy our talks, because I do, but did you want something...?”

Danny let out a light laugh and scratched the back of his neck. “Uh, yeah, I was just wondering if you wanted to go out with me, on a date?”

Stiles' mind lost the ability to think for a brief second, but when it came back online, his eyes were wide and his eyebrows raised in disbelief. “You... You want to go on a date? With me? A place, in public, you and me?”

Danny rolled his eyes. “That's usually how a date works, Stiles.”

Stiles nodded. “Right, yeah, no, I know, but I was just... I mean, dude... _Why_ do you want to go on a date with me?”

Danny shrugged. “You're cute. You're funny, and smart.”

There was a beat of silence. “Oh, no, keep going, I could do with an ego boost.”

Danny frowned then. “You don't want to go out with me?”

Stiles shook his head. “I didn't say that, I just don't get it. You're like... at the opposite end of the high school heirachy.”

“High school doesn't have a hierarchy.” Danny blinked, catching himself getting off-topic. “So you don't believe I find you attractive?” he asked, taking a step closer.

Stiles stood his ground. “Uh... no?”

Danny leaned in, and when his lips brushed Stiles', gently, his hand came up to curl around Stiles' neck. When they parted, Stiles licked his lips and raised his eyebrows at Danny.

“Did that convince you?” he asked, one of those bright smiles threatening to take over his face.

Stiles nodded quickly. “Yep, yeah, definitely,” he squeaked out. He shuffled feet. “But I, uh... That was great and all, but I'm kinda-”

“Hung up on someone?”

Stiles tilted his head. “What? No.”

Danny shrugged, looking disappointed but not devastated. “I kind of expected it, I just wanted to try.” He gave Stiles a smaller smile. “You're pining.”

And then Danny turned away and disappeared, and Stiles watched him go, wondering if, when he disappeared around the corner of the building, Stiles would be able to manage to convince himself that it was all made up and it never happened and this is what happens when he drinks Red Bull for two days straight.

Stiles shook his head and opened the cafeteria door, him and Danny's conversation playing over in his mind.

Unfortunately, this wasn't something he could talk to Derek about. This was an Erica-problem, not a Derek-problem. Because the pining? May have been after the unattainable and devastatingly straight Derek Hale. It wasn't something Stiles was proud of, and it wasn't something that he believed could ever progress beyond a hopeless crush.

Stiles peered around for Boyd or Derek, because they were both pretty noticeable, but they must've left. Candy bars weren't that important anyway.

* * *

**-After school**

Stiles found Erica, Allison, and Isaac in his basement, watching some show on the television that involved singing and judges and everything Stiles hated.

“They can't vote Jaime off!” Allison protested. “He's the only cute one.”

Stiles rolled his eyes. “Unfortunately, Ally, they judge singing competitions by their _singing_ , not by how 'cute' they are.”

Erica shrugged. “That's what you think, but have you ever seen a fat person win this show?” she mumbled around a mouthful of doritos. _Stiles'_ doritos. “That's why I hate shows like this.”

Stiles flopped onto the sofa and laid his head in Erica's lap, and she automatically started brushing her fingers through his hair as though she were petting a cat. And maybe Stiles closed his eyes and let her, because who doesn't want to be a cat?

“Can you guys shut up? Tiffany's singing,” Isaac said, leaning closer to the screen.

Stiles reached over to the coffee table and grabbed the headphones, flinging them in Isaac's face. “Where is everyone?”

Allison shrugged. “Scott's working, Lydia and Jackson are on a date, and Boyd and Derek I haven't seen since this morning.”

Stiles hummed and closed his eyes. “And where's my dad?”

They all shrugged, except for Isaac, who was staring intently at the screen with his headphones plugged in.

Stiles' question was answered when he heard heavy footsteps on the stairs. “Stiles?” his father called out.

“Yeah?” Stiles called back, his eyes still closed.

“Can you clean the jeep? I have to go to work and it looks like you've been driving in mud again.”

Stiles sighed and heaved himself up into a sitting position, and then took Erica's hand and pulled her up, stealing the bag of doritos. He glanced at Isaac, who didn't seem to notice the sheriff's yelling, and then at Allison, who had a smile on her face. “I love washing cars,” she said.

Erica rolled her eyes. “It's such a shame you're not wearing a white top and a miniskirt, you might enjoy it more,” she said sweetly.

Stiles rolled his eyes. “Jeez, guys, you're giving me inappropriate thoughts about my best friend's girlfriend.”

Allison ruffled his hair as they made their way upstairs. “Don't worry, Stiles, if Scott and I weren't so 'sickeningly in love' you'd be my second choice.”

The jeep wasn't _that_ bad, but, as his father muttered on his way out the door, apparently it was an embarrassment to their neighborhood.

Allison levelled them both with a stern look and said, “No water fights, we aren't in kindergarten.”

To which Erica responded by shoved the hose down her top and turning it on.

So it sort of got out of hand, but Stiles found he didn't mind, especially when Isaac walked up the outside steps of the basement and got hit in the face with a stream of water.

They were all screaming and shrieking and laughing, but over all the noise, Stiles recognised the rumble of the Camaro as it pulled in next door. He peeked over the fence to see Boyd and Derek get out of the car.

“Hey, guys, want to help?” he called out cheerfully, ducking the sponge that was thrown at his head.

Boyd picked the sponge up and tossed it back over the fence, and Derek looked away, obviously uncomfortable. “We're not in kindergarten,” he replied.

“That's what Allison said!” Stiles chirped with a grin. “But it turns out she's wrong, and we _are._ Derek?”

Derek turned back to Stiles and gave him a half-hearted smile. “Uh, no, I just have to-” he took a step back and stumbled up the step to the front door, grabbing the door handle, “-do some homework.”

Stiles frowned and jumped over the fence smoothly. He was used to it, being friends with Derek for so long. He could find his way to Derek's room blind.

But something was wrong, obviously. Derek was graceful and steady, a contrast of Stiles himself. When he got clumsy, it meant he had something on his mind, it meant something was troubling him.

He caught up to Derek and touched his arm as a gesture of comfort, and looked as if Derek almost flinched away from it. “You okay?” he asked softly.

Derek' ears were going red and he was staring at Stiles' chest. Stiles looked down. Unlike Allison, he _was_ wearing a white shirt, and it was completely see-through. Stiles was confident in his body, he had gained a satisfactory amount of muscle through the years of lacrosse, but that didn't stop him from crossing his arms over his chest self-consciously, wondering why Derek looked so uncomfortable.

Derek cleared his throat and looked away. “Yeah, I'm fine,” he lied. He opened his mouth to say more, but then glanced briefly at Stiles' face before studying his shoes.

Stiles narrowed his eyes, but let the subject drop. If Derek didn't want to tell him, he wasn't going to push it. Though it stung a bit that Boyd seemed to know, if the wary look on his face was anything to go by.

“Fine. If you need anything, let me know,” he said, giving Derek a grin and patting his shoulder.

Boyd passed him and they both went inside, and the last thing he heard was Boyd's deep voice saying, “You're both idiots, and I'm not your Oprah.”

Stiles shook his head and jumped back over the fence, where Isaac was being chased by Erica with the hose, and Allison was filming it on her phone. She burst out laughing when Erica tugged out Isaac's pants and shoved the hose down, and Isaac shrieked and jerked away.

* * *

**-The next day**

“No _fucking_ way! Danny kissed you?” Erica exclaimed, turning away from where she was drawing an incredibly detailed picture of them all in Stiles' basement.

Stiles glared at her. “Shut up. And don't act so surprised.”

Erica grinned. “I'm just jealous that he's off _my_ market, Danny is a sweetheart. So, what, did he just press you up against a wall and make out with you or what?”

Stiles sighed, regretting opening his mouth. The first time he had sex with Heather, Erica started asking him about foreplay and sex positions and it was just an uncomfortable experience. “He actually asked me out, and then he kissed me, and walked away.”

Erica raised her eyebrows. “He asked you out? _And?_ ”

“I politely declined.”

Erica tilted her head for a second, examining Stiles. “Is that why Derek is avoiding you?”

“What? _No._ I have no idea why Derek is avoiding me, and it isn't because of some kiss. He wouldn't care if I got kissed,” he said somewhat glumly.

Erica patted his arm. “ _Sure_ he wouldn't.”

Stiles frowned at her. “Uh, yeah, he wouldn't. He's just in one of his moods.”

Erica held up a finger. “You see, Derek Hale is a hot mess, and when he gets into one his moods, the only person that he can tolerate is you. Unless,” she sang with a grin, “the mood is about _you_.”

Stiles gaped, offended. “What did I do?”

Erica sighed and rolled her eyes. “You kissed Danny!”

“He doesn't know.”

Erica shrugged. “If you have a better idea of why he's pissed at you, I'm all ears.”

Stiles narrowed his eyes. “I'll just ask him.”

They both fell into an easy silence, Erica drawing and Stiles reading _The Colour Purple_ for his English essay.

“You know Derek has the hots for you, right?”

Stiles peered over his book and kicked her. “He's straight, you moron.”

Erica laughed condescendingly. “I'd never seen literal heart eyes until he started hanging out with you again.”

The _again_ was because although Stiles and Derek were best friends and had grown up neighbors, when they got to high school, they just drifted apart. Derek started hanging out with Isaac, Erica, and Boyd, and Stiles hung out with Scott, Allison, and Lydia. Stiles watched it happen, how Derek would come over less and less and eventually stop, but he let it happen because that was also around the time that Stiles started to discover he had _feelings_ , and it was best to observe those from a distance.

And then Scott and Isaac became lab partners and it was love-at-first-awkward-study-date. And soon enough, Stiles' dad gave Stiles free reign of the basement just to get all the teenagers out of his sight, and Stiles and Derek became friends again, like nothing had ever changed.

Stiles scowled. “Your gaydar is broken, Erica.”

“They say love blinds you, Stiles, and you are completely oblivious. It's pitiful to witness. Everyone can see it.”

Stiles let his book fall to the floor, turning to her. “See what?”

Erica smirked. “You two dorks are _in lurve_.”

Stiles sighed and leaned back into the couch. “I don't need any false hope right now, Erica.” What he _did_ need was to get over Derek and focus on all the hot girls and gay guys that asked him out and kissed him.

Erica groaned. “I'm giving up. You two can continue pining for each other, see if I care.”

Stiles poked his tongue out at her and picked his book back up. He read through a few pages before sighing and standing up. “I'm going to talk to Derek.”

Erica nodded. “Can I come?”

“No.”

She pouted, but continued drawing, and Stiles walked upstairs.

Cora answered the door and gave Stiles a confused look. “Hey. Why is Derek here?”

“Uh... because he lives here?”

“Well, he spends basically every waking moment in your basement getting high and studying, so excuse me if I'm a little confused as to why he hasn't been over for two days.”

Stiles shrugged. “Beats me.” He pushed past Cora and walked into the living room, where Talia was sewing something and watching the television simultaneously.

“Hey, Talia,” Stiles greeted.

Talia looked up and gave Stiles a warm smile. “Stiles, it's good to see you. Derek's in his room, can you tell him that he's cooking dinner tonight?”

Stiles nodded and took the stairs two at a time, knocking on Derek's door and softly calling out his name.

The door opened to reveal a scowly Derek Hale, his hair ruffled and his eyebrows drawn together in a dark frown.

Stiles smiled. “Hey, Der. What's been happening?” He slipped under Derek's arm and flopped onto his bed.

Derek sighed and closed the door, leaning against it with his arms folded. “Nothing.”

“I can see that,” Stiles replied. “Now are you going to tell me what's wrong or am I going to have to beat it out of you?”

Derek gave him a flat look. “Neither.”

Stiles raised his eyebrows, because Derek was acting like a petulant toddler. Whoever said teenage girls were moody obviously hasn't met Derek before. “You're still coming to this concert, right?”

Derek shrugged, replying with a despondent, “Yeah.”

Stiles laid on his back in the bed, staring up at the ceiling. “Good. It wouldn't be fun without your dark and morbid presence. Seriously, are you auditioning for a part in _The Addams Family_? Because you've got the doom and gloom down. You'd make an excellent Wednesday Addams.”

Derek moved to sit in the chair at his desk, but didn't reply.

Stiles turned his head to look at Derek. “Did I do something?”

Derek flinched and looked Stiles in the eyes. “I'm fine.”

 _That wasn't an answer_. “If you're so fine, you can light one up with me and Erica.”

Fifteen minutes later, Derek had pink, heavy-lidded eyes, and his mood had marginally improved, but for some inexplicable reason, Stiles' mood had gotten worse.

* * *

**-A week later**

The drive to Sacramento was stressful. They had agreed to take Derek's Camaro and Stiles' jeep, which meant that Stiles had to drive Erica, Isaac, and Allison, while Derek took Scott and Boyd. Jackson and Lydia drove up a day earlier to have a night in the hotel to themselves.

It was torture. Allison and Erica argued, as usual, until Stiles told them to shut up, and then they ganged up on _him_ , while Isaac sat there in his fucking scarves, making the odd judgemental comment and bitching about the latest indie band (because he was a total music snob). The moment they breached the perimeter of some small town that no one ever remembered the name to, Stiles slammed on the brakes and took a deep breath.

The whole time he hadn't been able to stop thinking about Derek, about how his stormy mood was just going to ruin it for Stiles because he could never stand a grumpy Derek.

“Stiles, why are we stopping? Are you okay?” Allison asked gently, interrupting Erica just as she started to make fun of Allison's crazy aunt (which was rude, because Allison was nothing like Kate).

Stiles nodded, just as the Camaro in front of them slowed to a stop and Derek and Scott got out.

“Yeah. Look, Ally...” He cringed internally, because what he was about to do was going against everything he believed in and valued. “Can you drive the jeep?”

The car was silent for all of three seconds, before Erica and Isaac started protesting that _they_ wanted to drive (even though Erica couldn't even drive) and Allison asked him if he had hit his head or something, because Stiles Stilinski didn't let _anybody_ drive his jeep, not even Scott or Derek.

Stiles held up his hands. “ _Shut up_ ,” he told them. “Look, I'm just tired and I need to talk to Derek, preferably in an environment where he wouldn't be as eager to throw me out the window considering we'd be in a moving car.”

Allison nodded, and Erica smirked, and Isaac shrugged and picked at a thread on his shirt.

There was a tap on the window, and Stiles jumped, seeing Scott's concerned face. He opened the door and climbed out, holding the door open for Allison. “Hey, Scotty. Do you mind swapping cars with me?”

Scott gaped at him. “Allison's driving the jeep,” he stated.

“Yep. Erica and Isaac are pissing me off.” There were heated protests and insults from inside his jeep, but Stiles ignored them and grinned over at Derek, who looked uncertain. “You don't mind, do you, Derek?”

Derek shook his head and stalked off, and Stiles patted Scott on the back before following.

And yeah, riding with Derek and Boyd wasn't much better. The silence wasn't welcoming of small talk, but Stiles didn't want small talk.

He turned to Derek. “What the fuck is your problem?” he demanded.

Derek raised an eyebrow but kept his gaze on the road. “Nothing,” he replied.

Stiles snorted. “I am so _over_ your bullshit, Derek. There was a time when we were best friends, and I knew everything about you, you know. Lately, not so much, but I still know that when you're in a mood, it's usually to do with Kate.”

Derek scowled. “It's not Kate.”

Stiles twisted in his seat to look at Boyd. “Do you know what he's sulking about?”

Boyd didn't look up from his Angry Birds game on his phone. “Yeah,” he replied in a bored voice.

Stiles huffed and turned back. “You're acting like a child.”

Derek's fingers tightened on the steering wheel. “Well, I'm _sorry_ , Stiles,” he snapped. “I don't have to tell you everything.”

Stiles slumped in his seat. “Yeah, well you've been ignoring me all week so I think this concerns me.”

Derek shook his head. “No, I just... Why didn't you tell me you were dating Danny?” It came out in a rush, and Derek furrowed his brows like he hadn't meant for it to come out at all.

Stiles, however, was drawing a blank. “I'm _what?_ ”

“Dating Danny,” Boyd spoke up, still with a bored tone. “He thinks you're dating Danny.”

Stiles let out a laugh that was more surprised than bitter. “Yeah, sure, Derek, I'm dating the nicest, hottest guy in the school. _Me._ Seriously, despite my efforts, 'nice' doesn't seem to be my type.” He paused for a second. “Why do you think I'm dating Danny?”

Derek winced, his cheeks heating up. “I saw you kiss him,” he mumbled. His tone was less sullen and more embarrassed.

Stiles rolled his eyes and groaned. “It was just a _kiss_ , I don't get why-”

“Let's listen to the radio,” Derek cut in, reaching to switch it on.

“Wait, Der-” _The xx_ burst out of the speakers and interrupted him, and Boyd snorted, while Stiles glared at Derek and turned it off, batting Derek's hand away. “Derek, seriously, I don't get why Danny kissing me would make you avoid me for a week.”

Derek looked over at him, and his eyes were impossibly soft and vulnerable, and he replied with a soft, “Don't you?”

“Oh Lord,” Boyd muttered, which was ignored while Stiles stared back at Derek.

“I...” His brain was jumping to the most improbably conclusions that Derek was jealous, either of Stiles or Danny. Which didn't compute, because Derek was _straight_. He was straight, and out of Stiles' league anyway, he saw Stiles as a friend, nothing more, and he had never even _talked_ to Danny before.

But Stiles' brain didn't come up with any more theories, and he just stared at Derek helplessly, shaking his head. “No, I don't.”

Derek sighed and pulled the car over, not bothering to switch the engine off before he was out of the car.

Stiles was still staring at his empty seat, about to turn to Boyd and ask him if Derek had been taking any drugs stronger than weed lately, when his door opened and an arm reached across him and unclicked his belt.

Stiles scrambled out of the car and turned to Derek, a question on his lips and also some sort of insult because who the hell _does_ this-

When Derek leaned forward and captured Stiles' lips with his own, pressing him up against the car and holding his head between his hands.

Stiles' mouth was open and motionless for a good three seconds before he made a small noise in the back of his throat and pushed back into Derek, his lips taking charge against Derek's hesitant ones. His hands buried themselves in Derek's hair and he was pretty sure Derek moaned, but he couldn't tell, he was so lost in the kiss. It was a million times better than Danny's, because where Danny was calm and assertive, Derek's lips were shy and his movements hesitant, so much like himself.

But then Stiles cut Derek off and put a hand to his chest, pushing him back a step. “Dude,” he said, though it came out strangled and scratchy. “Dude,” he repeated.

Derek looked stunned, and slightly confused, and Stiles noted the way his hair stuck up in tufts and his cheeks were flushed and his heart was beating furiously beneath Stiles' hand.

“I...”

“Don't apologise,” Stiles said, wondering briefly if he should remove his hand or not. “Explain.”

Derek took another step back and ran a hand through his hair. “I... I've been wanting to do that for years,” he admitted softly.

Stiles couldn't look away from him. “Derek, you're straight.”

Derek met his eyes and shook his head. “No, I'm... I'm not. I'm bi.”

“Why didn't you tell me?”

Derek laughed lightly. “That was me telling you.”

Stiles blinked. “So... what? You think you can just try your newfound powers of bisexuality on your best friend?”

“What? _No._ No, Stiles, it's not like that.” He glared at Stiles and something in Stiles' stomach settled because _that_ was familiar, at least. “I have... had feelings for you since before Kate. And then I was lying in bed with her, and listening to her talk about whatever, and I couldn't help thinking that...” He faltered for a second, and looked Stiles directly in the eyes, “that I would've preferred to be in that basement, with you, listening to you talk about your dad's secret stash of candy or to get high and listen to all of your crazy conspiracies and ideas.”

Derek took a large breath, and Stiles searched for something to say but his brain wasn't working, Derek Hale killed his brain, and he was opening his mouth to say something _else_ and Stiles wasn't sure if he could handle it.

“I told Kate, and she went crazy. And since then, I've been waiting this whole time to build up the courage to ask you out on a date, like two normal people, and instead I just...”

“Pushed me up against a car and made out with me?”

Derek looked away and nodded.

Stiles took a step towards him, closing the gap. “Were you avoiding me because you were _pining_?”

Derek shuffled his feet. “No.”

“Oh, you _asshole_ ,” Stiles muttered, surging forward and kissing him again, because he knew when actions were more important than words and he got to do this, he was allowed to have this.

Before it actually progressed, Stiles heard a wolf whistle and some cheering, and Erica going, “ _Get it, Hale!_ ”

Stiles broke it off and sighed, leaning his forehead against Derek's. “We should get back in the car,” he murmured.

Derek hummed and opened his eyes, looking into Stiles' with a gentle smile on his face.

“Derek Hale, will you go to this lame-ass concert with me?” Stiles asked, returning the smile.

Derek pulled him closer by his waistband, but before Stiles could think more clearly about how _close_ his fingers were, Derek wrapped his arms around Stiles and dropped his face into Stiles' neck, in a comfortable, familiar hug that Stiles melted into.

“No,” Derek mumbled, his lips moving against Stiles' neck. “I never wanted to go to the concert. When we get to Sacramento, I'm taking you on a real date.”

“Dinner and a movie? And I suppose you'll buy me roses like a real gentleman-”

“ _Shut up and kiss!_ ” Erica shouted out, and then there was a cry of pain as Allison punched her.

“Let's get back in the car,” Stiles suggested.

Derek nodded, but as soon as they did, they realised that Boyd was in there the whole time, and he was now glaring at them as though they had killed his best friend or something.

“I'm going in the jeep,” he stated, getting out of the car and walking over to Scott, who gave him a sympathetic pat on the back.

Derek gave Stiles a doubtful look. “You never said-”

“Derek, you're not the only one pathetically pining over their best friend,” Stiles assured him, resting his feet on the dashboard.

Derek shoved them off and huffed, “I'm sure Scott feels the same way.”

Stiles laughed as Derek pulled onto the road, not bothering to check if their friends were following. “You're so lucky. I gave up my _jeep_ for you.”

“I'm flattered,” Derek said dryly, though there was a smile playing on his lips as he kept glancing at Stiles as though he would disappear at any moment.

“I really want to kiss you,” Stiles said, licking his lips and remembering how Derek's lips had felt against them. “So you'd better drive fast.”

* * *

**-Three hours later**

Lydia took one look at Derek and Stiles, thrust a room key at Stiles, and said, “You can have our room.” She shot a disdainful look at Jackson and stormed off, grabbing Allison's arm while Jackson looked uncomfortable, giving everyone a nod.

“What did you do this time?” Stiles asked curiously, because it was easy enough to get on Lydia's bad side. If you were Jackson.

Jackson shrugged. “I don't know. Apparently paying for a room to ourselves for two nights isn't _'just about the sex'_ or something.”

Stiles raised his eyebrows. “It's not?”

Derek elbowed him in the ribs. “Don't be such a whore,” he said, grinning.

Stiles turned back to Jackson. “She's right. You have to talk about your feelings and give her backrubs and buy her shit,” he said very solemnly, shooting Derek a pointed look.

Both Derek and Jackson rolled their eyes while Scott barged through them. “Bags the window bed!”

Derek snatched the room key out of Stiles' hand, ignoring his protests, and tossed it to Scott, who just managed to catch it before it hit him in the face. “You and Allison can have Lydia and Jackson's room.” Scott's face was just about to give Derek a grateful expression before Derek held up a hand and said, “Only because no one wants to wake up in the middle of the night to see you and Allison having sex.”

Stiles snickered as Scott gaped indignantly, and Erica and Boyd got into a glaring competition, fighting over who gets the couch, while Isaac sneaked between them and flopped on it, stretching his legs and closing his eyes.

“So we've got a couple of hours,” he mumbled. “I'm going to spend them sleeping.”

Stiles grabbed Derek's hand and pulled him toward the door. “We're not going to the concert,” he called over his shoulder, shutting the door on their protests and grinning at Derek. “So I'm thinking a five-star, Italian restaurant with-”

“The way you're dressed? We're going to Taco Bell.”

“You are _so_ cheap, if this is how our relationship starts then I have no hope for our future,” Stiles replied, flashing Derek a grin.

Derek cuffed the back of his neck and Stiles laughed, grabbing his hand again, their fingers intertwined. He never thought he'd have this, with Derek, he hadn't even allowed himself to imagine it. Everything between them was more electric, more exhilarating, but still, it was as though nothing had changed.

**Author's Note:**

> So hey, thanks for reading ^.^ Also, I've got the sequel in Derek's POV written, though it has a lot of their history as well as the plot of this one. So subscribe to yonder series, and I won't disappoint. Pinky promise.  
> Also hey look, I have [ze tumbles](http://unadulterated-exasperation.tumblr.com/)


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